Jake’s Picks for SEC Series of the Week

By Jake McKeever

We’re neck deep in the college baseball off-season with no end in sight, but there’s good news: the SEC just dropped the 2026 schedule. Sixteen programs, blue bloods and up-and-comers alike, all chasing the same goal, a ticket to Omaha. The road to June runs through the SEC, and every weekend feels like a mini Super Regional.

Here are my picks for the series I’ll have circled each week, the matchups that will shape the standings, stir up rivalries, and give us the clearest picture of who is built to make it to the game's biggest stage.

Week 1- Tennessee at Georgia

I was tempted to kick off this series preview with Brian O’Connor’s baptism into SEC play with Mississippi State visiting Arkansas, but the story lines in Georgia vs. Tennessee are too good to ignore. Tony Vitello and his crew feeding the trees against a retooled Georgia team loaded with transfers? Sign me up!

Despite all the roster turnover over the years, I don’t see Tennessee “paying the piper” this season. The Vols did a fantastic job in the portal, landing Evan Blanco and Henry Ford from UVA. Add in Blaine Brown from Rice, and Tennessee should be a balanced squad, though a tough three games in Athens should test the Vols' depth.

On Georgia’s side, three weeks in should reveal what they plan to do with their rotation. One of the toughest position battles of the season is for the Sunday starter role: will they go with the big freshman Joe Nottingham, or rely on the battalion of experienced transfer arms?

Bottom line: Two powerful offenses, two retooled rotations, and plenty of early-season intrigue make this a marquee match-up. Add in the buzz around Georgia baseball, the moxie and bravado of Tennessee, and this series is must-see TV.

Week 2: Texas at Auburn

An early-season match-up between two teams that hosted 2025 Regionals is always a recipe for excitement, and Texas vs. Auburn looks poised to deliver in 2026. Last year, the Plainsmen were swept out of "The Disch" in three lopsided games; and looking back, that was arguably the best Texas lineup all season.

The Longhorns made eight Auburn hitters look uncompetitive, and their lineup did a masterful job handling the Auburn bullpen.

But, Auburn returns much of its Super Regional roster and will look to build around Mr. Team USA, Chris Rembert. In 2024 and 2025, it often felt like “Ike Irish and the boys,” but this year’s Tigers bring a deeper, more experienced lineup that can challenge a more balanced Texas squad. The Longhorns added portal prize catcher Carson Tinney and welcome back SEC Freshman of the Year snub Dylan Volantis, making them a team built to compete on every front.

Bottom line: This isn’t just another early-season series. Auburn has a chance to prove last year wasn’t a fluke under Butch Thompson, while Texas can show they’re still the team to beat. Expect a highly competitive series that sets the tone for the season.

Week 3: Mississippi State at Ole Miss 

If Arkansas is the baptism into the SEC for "Coach Oak," this series is the confirmation. Year after year, no match-up in the country brings the same level of hype, intensity, and attendance as the Battle for the Magnolia State. Three of the five most-attended games in college baseball history have been Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State. While all those records reside south at Dudy Noble, you can bet Swayze will be packed and rocking in its own way.

For Ole Miss, this series is about more than bragging rights. It’s a chance for Mike Bianco to finally notch a winning record against an MSU head coach. In his 25 years at the helm in Oxford, Bianco holds a losing record against all six Mississippi State coaches he’s faced. After interim coach Justin Parker beat the Rebels last season, its a stat that gets thrown in the face of Ole Miss fans.

On the flip side, Mississippi State sees this series as the perfect opportunity for Chris Lemonis’ permanent successor to reignite the fan base and extend the upper hand. We saw the crowds that turned up June 5 just to see his formal introduction. For years, State fans have clamored for the ability to live in the mentions of Kendall Rogers, begging for "The Dude" to be occupied in June. Instead of fans infighting over extra BBQ, they will instead be out in full force in my mentions.

Close your eyes and picture this: Imagine The Dude the weekend after an Egg Bowl victory. Outfield rigs are packed to the capacity, smoke rolling, and a capacity crowd that’s been waiting all off season to let it rip and set another record.

Bottom line: The Magnolia State rivalry isn’t just a series, its a way of life. Expect the winner of this one to rub it in the faces of the loser for months on end.

Week 4: LSU at Tennessee

This is my personal favorite series of the year. Anytime the last three national champions meet on the same field, it’s must-see TV. LSU and Tennessee have faced off 12 times over the past three seasons, combining for four trips to Omaha in that stretch. It's two programs who have won more games than anyone else in a new-look Lindsey Nelson. Add in last year’s chippiness, and you have the perfect recipe for fireworks.

Jay Johnson and Tony Vitello have a ton of mutual respect for one another, and both coaches view this as a true measuring-stick series. The Vols view LSU as the program they want to be, while LSU sees Tennessee as the new kid on the block.

Tennessee’s home-field advantage is always a factor, but what I’m really curious about is whether the bad blood from last year’s walk-off and heated moments will carry over, especially in this new transfer era where rosters shuffle but rivalries stay hot.

Bottom line: LSU vs. Tennessee has become one of the sport’s premier rivalries, and this series should be no different. Expect packed stands, plenty of emotion, and a postseason-level atmosphere already in just Week 4.

Week 5: Texas at Texas A&M

Texas and Texas A&M is the pettiest rivalry in the country across everything. From Texas trying to get A&M shutdown in the 1800’s to A&M leaving Texas at the alter in 2013. 

It doesn’t matter the sport, even volleyball between these two gets rowdy. Now, throw the narrative of SEC baseball into the mix and add Jim Schlossnagle’s return to Aggieland, and you’ve got the makings of one of the most electric atmospheres in the history of College Baseball.

Texas swept A&M last season, all by a single run, which only adds fuel to the fire heading into this match-up. Expect ticket prices to rival some games in Omaha, because this game has always been one of the hottest tickets in the country.

Back in the old Big 12 vs. SEC midweek days, this was consistently each team’s most-attended game — and now, with realignment bringing the rivalry back to full strength, it’s set to be bigger than ever.

Bottom line: This isn’t just a baseball game, it's a century of bad blood packed into nine innings of battle in a three-day war. It’s Texas taking “Little Brother’s coach, because we can”. Expect a sold-out crowd, playoff-level intensity, and the kind of atmosphere that reminds you why rivalries matter.

Week 6 Texas A&M at LSU

While Texas and Texas A&M were separated by conference realignment, a new rivalry quietly heated up: Texas A&M vs. LSU. Over the past few years, this series has turned into one of the most underrated showdowns in college baseball.

I was lucky enough to attend the 2023 series in person, and it was one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever experienced. There’s just something about these two programs, and every time they meet, it feels like we learn something new about both teams.

Whether it's the coming-out party of Paul Skenes in 2023, back to back rallies in 2024 for LSU, and in 2025, The Upset, this series has it all.

Texas A&M has a knack for finding and exposing LSU’s weaknesses, and LSU seems to return the favor every time. That mutual push-and-pull has made this match-up a true measuring stick for both programs.

Bottom line: The Box during school is must-see TV. The student section always seems to get up for big games and this should be no different against “Aggy.”

Week 7: LSU at Mississippi State

This is an old-school SEC match-up that actually dates back to Bertman and Polk, one we haven’t gotten to enjoy at full strength in a while. Mississippi State was the top dog through the back half of the 2010s, while LSU struggled to find its footing in the final years of Paul Mainieri’s tenure.

Then came the rise of Jay Johnson’s LSU right as State began to slip when Chris Lemonis couldn't sustain the Natty level.

Now, for the first time in years, both programs look to be in a good spot again. Two true blue bloods of college baseball meeting at the Dude? That’s SEC baseball at its finest, and depending on when State schedules Super Bulldog Weekend, we might see Dudy Noble host the first 17,000 campus crowd, with the same opponent as the first record way back in 1988, with, of course, Ron and Skip.

Bottom line: This series has history, star power, and one of the best atmospheres in the sport. If you love college baseball, LSU at Mississippi State in Week 7 is a must-watch, if not must-attend.

Week 8: Florida at OU

This week has no shortage of intriguing match-ups: Ole Miss at Arkansas, Auburn at Texas A&M, Mississippi State at Texas… but I’m most intrigued by Florida at Oklahoma. Both of these programs often fly under the radar in the SEC, and this weekend gives them a chance to make a statement.

Oklahoma had a strong start to last season, even cracking the Top 10 at one point, but fizzled down the stretch. Florida, with all their NIL firepower and the expectations around Sully, felt like a disappointment after an 0-2 exit in the NCAA and the kind of attention they'd just as soon not have. This weekend is a chance for both teams to prove they belong among the SEC elite and show that last season’s struggles were just a blip.

Bottom line: Keep an eye on this one, an under-the-radar match-up with plenty of talent and motivation on both sides. I expect both teams to be near the cut line of hosting, and this one will go a long way in deciding the committee's views of these teams.

Week 9: Texas at Tennessee

The battle for the real UT! Texas heads to Knoxville for the first time ever, and this is a series with a ton on the line. It's an exclamation point the committee will remember for weeks, two popular SEC champion picks, and two teams expected to be in the hunt for a Super Regional host selection. I'm excited to see how the Horns staff fairs in a boombox stadium.

This is not to take away from the tremendous job the staff did in 2025, but a ton of their road games came in pitcher-friendly ballparks and the Disch-Faulk is comparatively huge. Vandy is a small park, but that lineup lacks the power that a Tennessee lineup has. Show me the Texas bullpen after Rocky Top is played a few times.

Bottom line: After a few games at LNS, we’ll see exactly how Texas’ bullpen handles a real test under pressure. This series could tell us a lot about how ready the Horns are to compete with the SEC’s elite.

Week 10: South Carolina at Vandy

The last week of the regular season is always the toughest to predict for series of the week. Teams are juggling starters and bullpens with the Thursday-Saturday schedule, all while setting themselves up for a run in the SEC Tournament. Some teams have their fates wrapped up, while for others, it’s also the final chance to make a statement before postseason play.

South Carolina’s 2025 campaign was memorable for all the wrong reasons, but after adding an underrated portal class, the 2026 Gamecocks look poised to be a legitimate force. Expect them to bring intensity and depth as they close out the season.

Vanderbilt, meanwhile, remains an interesting case. With a high-quality pitching staff and a lineup full of gritty, Adam Frazier-type players, the Commodores are talented but a bit of a mixed bag. How they finish the season could give a big clue about where they land in the SEC hierarchy for 2026.

Bottom line: The final week of the season is about positioning, experimentation, and momentum. Keep an eye on South Carolina and Vanderbilt. Both may likely have something to prove before tournament time.

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